Teva gets favorable UK Copaxone patent ruling

Israel-based Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (Nasdaq: TEVA) says that the UK High Court of Justice issued a decision in favor of Teva in a patent litigation proceeding against Generics (UK), a subsidiary of US drugmaker Mylan Laboratories (Nasdaq: MYL), on July 11.

Generics (UK) commenced the proceeding in the UK to seek the revocation of European Patent (UK) 762,888 for Copaxone (glatiramer acetate injection) expiring May 23, 2015, and to obtain a declaration that its proposed generic version of this multiple sclerosis drug would not infringe the ‘888 patent. The High Court specifically determined that the asserted claims of the ‘888 patent were valid, and also declined to issue a declaration that Generics UK’s proposed generic version of Copaxone would not infringe this patent.

Any potential generic version of Copaxone would require a marketing authorization from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) before it could be commercialized.